Separator and collector for metals.



S. L. BOGGS.

SEPARATOR AND COLLECTOR FOR METALS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.6, 1912.

1,037,1 14, Patented Aug. 27,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

m N Q! N INVENTOR I i -B 995. 1 BY E W% I COLUMBIA PMNQCIRAFH 60-.WASHINGTON. D. c.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS S. L. BOGGS. SEPARATOR AND GOLLEGTOR FOR METALS.APPLICATION FILED APR.6, 1912.

1,037,1 14. Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

WITN EVENT OR W 5L B053 I BY ATTORN EYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFII cu.,WASHINGTON. D. c.

' ing of the ore is accomplished by a minimum UNITE STATES ATENT OFTCE.

SEPARATOR AND COLLECTOR. FOR METALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2'7, 1912.

Application filed. April 6,1912. Serial No. 689,001.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

in known that I, SAMUEL L. Boccs, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, re siding at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments inSeparators and Collectors for Metals, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing,

This invention relates to a separator and collector for metals,especially designed for separating precious metals from ore.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a combined washer,mixer, pul verizer, agitator and amalgamating machine for separatingmetals from ore and other substances.

Another object of this invention is to provide a metal separating andcollecting apparatus that can be advantageously used where hydraulicmining is resorted to for obtaining ore containing precious metals.

I attain the above objects by an apparatus that is inexpensive tomanufacture, durable, easy to operate and highly etlicient for thepurposes for which it is intended. The apparatus is constructed wherebya continuous washing of ore can be carried on to obtain every particleof precious metal contained within the ore. The apparatus has beenespecially designed for the south western gold fields where a slimy andtenacious ore is obtained that must be pulverized and dis integrated tothat extent that each and every particle thereof can be subjected to theaction of water for washing purposes. The pulverizing and disintegratingof the ore mixes and agitates the same to that extent that gold isliberated to be washed or carried to amalgamating plates that collectthe same.

In using the apparatus, I resort to a continuous circulation of waterfor washing the ore and the course of the water is such as to carry theore over riiile-boa'rds and amalgamating plates whereby a maximum amountof gold will be collected. The washexpenditure of water, and whileheretofore it has required the flow from a thirty-six inch pipe to washa hundred tons, it now only requires the flow from an inch pipe toaccomplish the same amount of washing.

With this understanding of my invention, reference will now be had tothe principles of the same, as disclosed in the accompanying drawing,wherein Figure 1 is a plan of the separator, partly broken away, Fig. 2is a longitudinal sectional view of the same taken on the line ITII of Fig, 1, Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1, andFig. t is a cross sectional View of the separator. V

A separating and collecting apparatus in accordance with this inventioncomprises an oblong tank having a bottom plate 1, end walls 2 and 3 andside walls 4 and 5.

Arranged upon the bottom plate 1 is an oblong structure 6 that providesan endless passageway or slush trough that is lined by the walls of thestructure 6 and the walls 2 to 5 inclusive of the tank. The oblongstructure 6 corresponds in height to the walls of the tank and one endof said structure is connected to the side wall 4 by a verticalpartition 7 that provides an impounding tank or refuse receptacle 8 atone end of the tank, adjacent to the wall 3. The partition 7 is of aless height than the structure 6 and the wall 4, as best shown in Fig.2, and arranged between said partition, the wall a and the structure 6is a slightly inclined platform 9, which may be flat or concave. Theplatform 9 extends from the partition 7 to the end wall 2 and arrangedupon said platform are a plurality of equally spaced transverselittle-boards 10 that extendfrom the structure 6 to the side wall 1 ofthe tank. The riflie-boards 10 constitute deflectors, agitators andcollectors and these ritlle-boards cooperate with equally spaced bladesor agitators 11 that are carried by a revoluble longitudinal shaft 12.The shaft 12 is journaled in the end walls 2 and 3 of the tank and theshaft protrudes from the end wall 3 and is provided with a belt wheel13, whereby said shaft can be driven from a suitable source of power.The blades or agitators 11 are disposed whereby they will cooperate withthe rillle-boards 10 in agitating, stirring and commingling a liquid orsolid matter held in suspension by the liquid that passes over theplatform 9 between the structure 6 and the side wall 4 of the tank. Theblades or agitators 11 chop and disintegrate large pieces of oredeposited upon the forward end of the platform, and as the ore is subjected to the action of water, fine particles of gold or other metal areeasily separated from the ore. To facilitate the passage of 2 of thetank, and cooperating with the blades 11 in keeping t-hewater in motion;

The confronting sides of'the structure 6 and the side wall 5 support adetachable perforated plate 16. that is slightly inclined and isinterposed in a horizontal platform 17 that connects the structure 6 andthe side wall 5 of the tank. The platform 17 has transverse equallyspaced rittleboards 18 that serve as 'retarders and collectors, that is,they tend to dam or back-up the fluid or solid matter that passesbetween the structure 6 and the side wall 5, thereby retarding the flowto thaoextent that particles of gold can settle upon the riflieboards orpass through the perforated plate 16. Two circulations V of water areobtained, the circulation of water above the plate 16 being faster thanthat below the plate, consequently particles of ore canbe more readilycollected. below the perforated plate than above the same.

Below the perforated plate 16 and the platform 17 there are arrangedtransverse equally spaced and vertically disposed amalgamating plates 19having openings 20 that permit of water passing through said plates. Theplates 19 are of the ordinary and well known type employed foramalgamating, the plates being treated with quick silver that collectsthe gold and retains the same until a clean-up. Located below theamalgamating plates 19 is an inclined amalgamating plate 21 that extendsfrom one end of the structure 6 to the opposite end thereof, the lowerend of said amalgamating plate terminating at the impounding tank orreceptacle, whereby solid matter not retained thereby is carried intothe impounding tank. V r 7 Between the end wall 2 and the end of thestructure 6 is a transverse inclined platform 22 extending fromtheplatform 9 to the perforated plate 16. riflle-boards 23 serving asagitators orretarders for the water that passes from the platform 9 tothe perforated plate 16.

Revolubly mounted in the end wall and the end of the structure 6, withinthe impounding tank 8, is a shaft 24-provided with a conveyerwheel 25for a conveyer 26,.

and this conveyer is adapted to remove solid matter from th: impoundingtank 8. a

The tank isfilled with Water until the blades or agitators 11 arecovered.

i is agitated by the blades 11 and carried over said platform .to theplatform 22 and from This platform has I The ore is then deposited upontheplatform9,

the platform 22.0ver the perforated plate 16. The water is maintained incirculation around the structure 6 andagainst the walls 2 to 5 inclusiveby the blades 11 and the propeller 14E, consequently metallic substancesare always held in suspension by the 'water and during the course of thewater,

the metallic substances pass through the perforated plate 16 and arecollected by the amalgamated plates 19 and 21. The plates 19Vand '21 canbe removed from time to' time" and cleansed or new plates installed. Ther1ilie-boards collect a cert-am amount of served that the washing ofores and the eX- t-racting of metal can be accomplished by anexceedingly simple apparatus that embodies an endless trough in whichore is'dis- 'gold and from the foregoing it will be obintegrated andshifted until the metal to be c collected is liberated.

It is thought that the operation and utility of the apparatus will beapparent without further description, and while in i the drawing thereis illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to beunderstood that the structural elements thereof are susceptible to" suchvariations and modifications jasifall within the scope of, the appendedclaims.

What I claim is r 1. A separator and collector for metals.

stitute a trough through which the water is circulated and into whichore can be dumped, amalgamating plates arranged below one end of thebottom and in proximity to one end of the trough, a screen interposed inthe bottom of the trough and above the amalgamating plates andconstituting means for supplying water containing small particles ofmetal to said amalgamating plates to be taken up by these latter, riflleboards arranged on the bottom of said trough, and

means arranged in said tank above the bottom of the trough formaintaining a continuous circulation of water through said trough andover said plates.

2. A separator and collector for metals embodying a tank adapted tocontain a body of water'andpro-vided with means to constitute a troughthrough which the water is circulated and 'into 'which ore can bedumped, amalgamating plates arranged be- 7 and means supported andoperated by said first mentioned means for disintegrating ore within thetrough.

3. A separator and collector for metals comprising a tank adapted tocontain a body of water, means arranged within the tank to constitute asubstantially Vshaped course for the travel of ore, a perforated plateinterposed in said course near one end thereof, amalgamating meansarranged below one endof said course and under said plate, and meansarranged within said tank over said course for maintaining a circulationof the water therein.

4. A separating and collecting apparatus for metals comprising a trough,riflle boards arranged therein, a screen interposed in the bottom ofsaid trough, screened amalgamating plates arranged below a portion ofthe bottom of said trough and farther belowsaid screen, means formaintaining a circulation of water through said trough and over saidamalgamating plates, and means operatable in unison with the firstmentioned means for disintegrating and agitating metal bearing oreplaced in the trough.

5. A separating and collecting apparatus for metals comprising a trough,rifile boards arranged on the bottom thereof, a screen interposed in thebottom of said trough near one end thereof, screened amalgamating platesarranged below one end of the bottom of said trough and farther undersaid screen, means arranged above the bottom of the trough formaintaining a circulation of water through said trough and a current ofwater over said amalgamating plates, means arranged above the bottom ofthe trough for disintegrating and agitating metal bearing ore placed inthe trough, an impounding tank into which that end of the bottom of saidtrough having the plates arranged thereunder opens for the reception ofthe tailings, and means for removing the tailings from said impoundingtank.

6. A separator and collector for metals comprising a tank adapted tocontain water, an oblong structure arranged in said tank, inclinedplatforms arranged between said structure and the walls of said tank,agitators arranged above one of said platforms, a perforated plateforming a part of another platform, amalgamating plates arrangedbescreened amalgamating means low said perforated plate, an inclinedamalgamating plate arranged below said plates, a conveyer arrangedwithin one end of said tank for removing solid matter therefrom, andmeans operatable in unison-with said agitators for maintaining acirculation of water within said tank.

7. A separator and collectorfor metals comprising a receptacle adaptedto contain a body of water and provided with means to constitute ariflied course for the travel of free milling ores to separate themetals therefrom, said receptacle further provided with means toconstitute an impounding tank with which said course communicates,

means arranged within said receptacle below and communicating with saidcourse for amalgamating the finer portions of the ore to collect themetals therefrom, said amalgamating means opening into said tank, meansfor directing currents of water simultaneously over said course and saidamalgamating means to cause the travel of the ore over said course andsaid means, and means extending into said tank for removing the tailingstherefrom.

8. A separator and collector for metals comprising a receptacle adaptedto contain a body of water and provided with means to constitute ariffled course for the travel of free milling ores to separate themetals therefrom, said receptacle further provided with means toconstitute an impounding tank with which said course communicates,arranged within said receptacle below and communieating with said coursefor amalgamating the finer portions of the ore to collect the metalstherefrom, said amalgamating means opening into said tank, means fordirecting currents of water simultaneously over said course and saidamalgamating means to cause the travel of the ore over said course andsaid means, and means extending into said tank for removing the tailingstherefrom.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

SAMUEL L. BOGGS.

Witnesses:

MAX I-I. SRoLovrrz, CHRISTINA T. Hoon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

Correction in Letters PHTEMNO. 1,037,114.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,037,114, grantedAugust 27, 1912, upon the application of Samuel L. Bog'gs, ofPittsburgh,Pennsylvania, for an improvement in Separators and Collectorsfor Metalsj an error appears in the printed specification requiringcorrection as follows; Page 3, line 6, for the Word V -shaped readUw/zapeol; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the caseinthe Patent Offioe.

Signed and sealed this 22d day of October, A. D., 1912.

[SEAL] O. C. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

